
Inclusion & Diversity
We each see challenges from unique angles, reinforced by our personal and professional experiences. Ethnicity, personality, gender, hobbies, sexual orientation, family structure, age, socioeconomic background, abilities—even geography—are some of the dimensions of diversity that shape us as people.
As a company built on innovative problem-solving, diverse perspectives are essential to our success. It’s why we’re committed to cultivating an inclusive environment where everyone can have a sense of belonging and thrive.
Stephanie Turner:
Diversity is a people issue where we just want people
to be comfortable to share their stories.
And we're not gonna get caught up in,
you said the right word or not,
'cause that's not the time right now.
But we are putting it into place,
one of our definitions, so for me diversity is a noun.
It's a fact, it's all the ways
that we are similar and different.
Whether we're talking about people, places or things.
And so the fact that I've lived all over the country,
I've experienced what I call geographical diversity.
There's a lotta diversity in terms
of the climate, the terrain, the weather.
You could talk about the food, and so that's a diversity
in another way, where we tend to just think
about it from a race or gender perspective.
And so, knowing the dimensions of diversity,
whether we're talking about primary
in terms of all the ways we were born,
in terms of our attributes around race, ethnicity,
sexual orientation , abilities, gender.
And then as you grow in life and you experience
different things, this is what I call
the secondary dimensions of diversity.
Your interest, where you wanna go to school,
where you want to practice your faith or worship.
Do you wanna have kids?
And then we have organizational dimensions of diversity.
Where you work, whether it could be a not for profit,
a Fortune 500, a small size company, a start-up.
Some of us are managers, leaders,
and then last but not least are the cultural dimensions.
Things such as time, the power structures,
when talk about that word, diversity.
And then inclusion is the action, it's the verb.
You know it when you feel included.
And so, it's acknowledging, it's recognizing,
you are utilizing, you're understanding,
all the ways that someone is similar or different.
And then last you're hearing the word belonging,
which we're starting to use a lot at MITRE too.
Well that to me is the emotion.
That's the sense, this is how people want to feel
or based on the outcomes of that organization.
So when their coming in, they're like,
this is how I feel, you know,
like I'm included or valued
and it's going to be different for each of us.
So, it's an emotional outcome
that you want from your organization once you're there.
And that will help with the retention,
if people feel like I have value,
they're coming to me, they recognize me,
they see my skill-set.
I'm being promoted, I'm being assigned to special projects.
So, it's really our responsibility
to better understand our staff, our team,
and how they think and what motivates them.
So, you have to take that time.
And the more you do that, that's where that trust comes in.
That's where that productivity come in,
and collectively we're able to produce new ideas,
thoughts, products, services.
So, that is the endgame in terms
of an inclusive work environment.
We Build Inclusive Practices from the Inside Out
We know different cultural backgrounds, work experiences, and viewpoints matter and make for stronger outcomes. We must also be intentional and transparent in our efforts to increase representation across our organization.
Our goal is to identify structural barriers and create policies, practices, programs, and processes that support equitable outcomes for real impact.
We value collective action from throughout our workforce, championed by executive leadership.
Our inclusion, diversity, and social innovation initiatives provide opportunities for us to engage at work and in the community. And our business resource groups (BRG) serve as meaningful touchpoints for connection, community, and celebration across our diverse workforce. The groups include:
- Asian and Pacific Island BRG
- Black Culture BRG
- Latin American BRG
- Accessibility BRG (including interest groups for hearing loss, vision impairment, neurodiversity, and invisible disabilities)
- Multigenerational BRG (a cross-generational group)
- Pride BRG
- STEM Council BRG
- Veterans’ BRG
- Women’s BRG
Our efforts extend far beyond our own workplace. We are engaging our sponsors and partners in promoting inclusion and diversity, such as through our work to help federal agencies attract neurodivergent talent, launching a Social Justice Platform, and creating STEM education opportunities in underrepresented communities.
At MITRE, we value and leverage diversity, inclusion, and belonging throughout our workforce. Our rich mosaic of diversity in all dimensions—demographic, cultural, cognitive, and occupational—underscores our unwavering commitment that every employee feels included, engaged, and supported.
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